Anecdotes

Any break from the humdrum of everyday living is good, but this eight day break was the best that

I had in a long time. When you are a working mother, you tend to live in agony of trying to be a

perfect mom, a perfect homemaker and also excelling professionally. So this break was like tonic. I

stopped living in a routine and I stopped living with the clock for eight complete days. I reconnected

with myself. I had lost touch with my hobbies and again found pleasure in doing that. I reached

out to my school friends, who I had not met for many years. I cooked some mouth-watering meals

for my family, which on an ordinary day would be one more chore. And the best of it - I spent every

waking minute with my seven year old- taking him to the city zoo (an activity which I kept avoiding

for some time), listening to his constant babble, spent time with him in his school projects... the

list goes on. I thank the firm for this wonderful gesture and I’m sure many like me have thoroughly

appreciated this as well.

Aditi Mukherjee

The end of December is a period of festive warmth even in the cold; one that sees the

drafting of numerous resolutions and party plans. Unlike most years, this time my friends

and I decided to visit the Gurudwara in Kirti Nagar at 12am on 1 January 2014. In the half

an hour that we spent there along with a thousand others, there was a maiden sense of

peace, satisfaction and happiness that filled our hearts. ‘Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har,

Har, and keeping it in your mind, you shall find peace’ [Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 260].

Aditya Longani

When the senior doctor from Kolkata said over the phone: plan

for rehospitalisation - I, working on client deliverables in Delhi

straightaway requested him if he can make it to as early as the

Christmas break. He obliged. My father, who had been treated

in the hospital’s critical care unit for 23 days about a month

back, was again in pain and needed to be hospitalised again

to complete the whole treatment procedure. At the end of

the break, while coming back to Delhi post his successful

discharge, I put my six month old son on my father’s lap and

said goodbye. Both of them were smiling. Thank you PwC…

Anirban Bose

The much awaited BREAK of the year for me had finally set on 26 December,

the day after Christmas as I could still laze in bed and not think of getting up

to my regular time to catch the overcrowded trains of Mumbai. I did not plan a

vacation as I had my brother and his family down for Christmas. The house was

chaotic all the while with four children all over the place except the ceiling.

I would like to introduce them in order as- the naughtiest, naughtier and

naughty and a house scattered with toys and noise with no room left for us.

Nevertheless it was a good year end break to unwind with your loved ones and

also start the new year.

Anita Rodrigues

Gazing at the first light of the sun and admiring its beautiful smile on my

hot cup of coffee, a walk down the mountain in my old school sweatshirt,

preparing omelettes to feed my hunger and my lazy friend, painting

the zenith where the mist covers the neck of the beautiful Kodaikanal,

reading Shakespeare and romancing with words, writing poetry to

express love, capturing reflections of time to embrace such unforgettable

moments, riding the shining waters of the most beautiful lake, hogging

homemade chocolates, horse riding, cycling and the craziest of all - a

bonfire in a grave yard on New Year’s Day.

Ankit Kotriwala

I have been away from home for the last five years and ever since then being at home has

been bliss for me. I decided to celebrate the new year with my family this time. The most

cherished memory that I came across in this winter break was when I reached home and as

soon as the front door opened my mom rolled open a very warm sweater down my neck,

she pushed my cold hands into a pair of soft and warm gloves that she had made herself and

then seeing my feet appear red and cold in my leather heels, she ran and got woollen socks

for me. With such genuine care in her eyes she said: “When will this girl start taking care of

herself?” I almost broke down at that moment because the warmth of those clothes was so

full of her care and love which made me feel like the most special daughter in the world.

Ankita Jain

I planned a long vacation in Malaysia that

included a trip to the Cameron Highlands.

Apparently some places are only good in travel

shows. As it turned out, the place did not

deserve more than half a day (we had booked

three!). It did not help that the expensive resort

I had booked was in the middle of nowhere. We

made last minute changes, returned to Kuala

Lumpur and yearned to come back to India

(where it is tough getting bored). Coming to

work suddenly seemed so alluring. A colleague

heard this and told me we were a useless

couple. I couldn’t disagree.

Antara Ray

Another year coming to an end,

People going gaga over parties in trend,

With work on my mind I left from home,

My heart wishing I could party and be air-borne,

My Royal Enfield also craved for a ride,

But I had deliverables on my side,

Took off only on first and twenty fifth,

Planned to give myself a fabulous gift,

Discussed with wife the recipe to be served on a platter,

Called friends, cooked food and had fun with FIREWATER.

Anurag Mehrotra

After the year end carousal, I walk towards the Macau Tower, stomach

squirming, an aftermath of Jagermeister and a precursor to the jump.

As I stand, harness strapped, at the edge of the 233m tall tower,

inclined at an angle of 15°, belittling the world, the fight or flight

hormone kicks in... IT IS ON!

Five... four... three... two... Bungee!!! My feet leave the ground, the

breeze feels like a whiplash as I plunge into nothingness. Every sense is

heightened, every colour is brighter, every heartbeat louder and every

cell more ALIVE! This year end break - I broke free; free of fear. Do you

have what it takes?

Anushka Shetty

A glimpse of Adlabs Imagica, India’s newest theme park and in fine weather,

created an immediate heart pounding moment for our large group of youngsters

visiting the place. The very sight of the large twisted rides gave us chills even

before entering. Excitement and enthusiasm were themes of the day. The frivolous

screaming on monstrous rides coupled with adamant arguments on ‘which ride

next’ helped boost our adrenalin giving us unlimited energy through the day. This

joyous day was spent with people with whom this adventure was a mere addition

to great memories, which made the year end break all the more worth it.

Arnav Kapadia

Me and my friends took a trip to the Andamans during this holiday

break and one of the highlights was our visit to the Cellular Jail in

Port Blair. Though worn down by time and now only a museum, just

a walk through its corridors can send shivers down your spine. And

it’s here that we had our best laugh when I locked myself in a cell

and shocked passers-by, by breaking into an impromptu jig! The last

thing the tourists would’ve expected to see when they looked inside

a jail cell is me doing the Balle Balle! Check out the ‘photo evidence’.

Arun Kumar

A bruised forearm and a twisted ankle – that was what it took to remind me the age old

saying –‘Practice what you preach’. On a short trek through the dense forests to Ghoom

View Point at Lepchajagat, I was constantly advising my wife to walk carefully else she

might fall (Not that I had never slipped during treks or Badminton games). During our

return, unmindful of my steps while photographing, I lost my footing, found myself

sliding down the slopes and, yes - that was my moment of realisation (yet once again).

Ashok Roy

New year was here and we planned to do what people usually do — meet friends, party

hard and wish each other new beginnings. But this time we thought of reducing our

spending and use the money to make somebody else’s year. What better way to begin

the new year than by doing good. During the break, some of us got together with the

objective to warm the winters for a few in rough patches of Delhi NCR, those who slept

on the streets and keep fighting the cold to be able to get up alive next morning. Our

target was to wrap 500 people with warm blankets but with support from our friends,

we warmed over 650 lives.

Atul Luthra

The eight day break coincided with my brother’s visit to Mumbai and he unintentionally gave us a hilarious

moment. We were walking down Colaba Causeway trying to hail a cab but were turned down by different

cabbies as the distance we wanted to travel was not long enough for them. My brother then decided to

jump into the next unengaged cab that passes by. He saw a cab approaching, opened the co-driver door

and jumped in while I was directing him from outside to not give the cabbie a choice to refuse. The cabbie

was taken by surprise and then another voice came from the backseat. A young man was sitting at the back

slouching in such a way that he could not be noticed easily from outside the cab. The look on the face of the

passenger (I’m sure he thought he was being kidnapped or robbed) was priceless. It all ended well with us

leaving him alone as my brother sheepishly got out of the cab.

Batul Savliwala

Breaks are meant to be fun, not funny! With a toddler, and associated paraphernalia of runny noses, messy

dresses, and dirty diapers, even the thought of planning a pleasure trip during the year end break was

repulsive for my wife and me. So, there I was, the doting SUPER-DAD, with a kitchen apron, a baby bottle in

one hand, jumping around toy cars and spiky softballs. I crawled under the bed with my little Devil, finding

ping pong balls and then ran after him to the window so he didn’t throw them out. Couldn’t have had a

funnier break at 30!

Bhabani Shankar karI went back home after a long time and hadn’t informed my dad that I was coming

as I wanted to surprise him. It was 6am. I knocked on the door since the door

bell was switched off and my dad (the love of my life) opened the door and was

completely surprised. I just hugged him and tears started rolling down both our

eyes. Rocky jumped on me and started licking me, he was so happy to see me!

Don’t let your thoughts run wild for Rocky is my pet. It was an amazing moment -

Home Sweet Home.

Bhavesh DJ

This break coincided with a significant event in the life of my dear father. Finally, he got separated

from his beloved second wife- his job. For thirty seven years, his passion and dedication for his

work had earned him several rewards and my absolute admiration. I always wanted to be by his

side during those dreaded final moments of retirement, to wipe those unseen tears, to be a pillar

by his side like the way he had always been in mine. This holiday granted me that wish and I

could help him turn a new leaf in his life.

Britya Sen

We had a reason to be sore. It was 31 December 2013 and we were stuck as all flights out

of Srinagar had been cancelled due to poor visibility. All that, after a cruel taxing ride to

the airport in the biting cold, followed by umpteen security checks, only to be shooed away

with a re-scheduled ticket for 1 January 2014. We were holed up in the hotel envying our

friends partying back in Mumbai. But there was a twist in store for us. As we woke up to a

new year, a brilliant sight greeted us – Well, what next? So, all we said was – Let it snow! Let

it snow! Let it snow!

Chetan Shringarpure

“Sirf do log! Bore ho jaaoge”- replied my friend when I told him that we were planning a road trip

to Goa from Delhi. I too somewhat agreed. When you are in the tenth year of marriage, there

isn’t much to discover about each other. But we still left for a journey that would later become a

revelation for us. We crossed seven states covering 4,500km and witnessed the various terrains

that India has to offer. This included a 20 hour non-stop drive from Bombay to Delhi. I later got to

know that the Rajdhani takes 16 hours. I’m looking out for a bigger fuel tank to better it next year!

Chinmay Singh

It was that time of the year when brightness all around demands a convivial atmosphere; it was New

Year’s Eve. As hard as it is to scrape a few days off from work, me and my friends managed to be a part

of the emphatic energy of Goa on this occasion in hopes of satisfying a human’s craving desire to belong

to a special moment and bask in its memory. We weren’t disappointed. On the last evening of that year,

since we were six of us and couldn’t reach a common consensus, we decided to celebrate the eve at two

different venues, however reassemble before midnight at a place midway. All was merry until me and

my two other friends, started towards that club on rented motorcycles. Just a few kilometres short, my

motorcycle broke down at an eerie part of the highway with a blanket of fog slowly chilling our spirits.

So there we were at 11.30pm next to tarmac on a cold night waiting for our friends to come fetch us.

New Year’s Eve suddenly wasn’t amusing anymore. From a distance we saw a car approaching which

stopped seeing us in distress. To our surprise, they were the people we were celebrating with us earlier.

It was an old truck van that they were driving and since it was a long ride they didn’t forget to stock

themselves up. And when midnight struck, our friends who had arrived and the new one’s we had just

made, experienced how simple it is to bask in the joy of togetherness. A place is what you bring to it! It

is the best New Year memory I have!

Chirag Madan

Hong Kong- the name conjures images of high rises, bustling streets and shopping. So it

became hard to explain to my friends that I did and saw none of that but experienced an

untouched part of HK. I hiked on Time Magazine’s Best Urban Hike in Asia; visited quaint

villages famous for their pink Dolphins and obsession for Dogs; ate at the world’s cheapest

Michelin-starred restaurant; saw a giant Buddha on a hill top and a monastery with 13,000

Buddha’s with unique expressions and walked on white sandy beaches. This break I

discovered a very unique side to HK!

Devesh Sahai

‘T was my ‘Hanukkah’, it was a lighted opera;

Signs they were, usher of a new era!

Rise of our Prince, Khush his name;

In twenty-odd days, he’s shot to fame!

Every soothing smile, every cute cry;

The break saw it all, sparkle in that eye!

Velvet, your touch; with you 24*7;

For a break’s wish fulfilled, I felt like-in heaven!

A pilgrimage it was, Ganges and the Meccah;

My best year-end break, ‘T was my ‘Hanukkah’!

Witnessed the Mom in you, Stuti – thank you;

Lived ‘the moments’ with my wife- Stuti and Son- Khush,

PwC, thank you!

Dhaval Trivedi

I chose to go to the Gurudwara to serve Guru Langar to

old people, children etc. For the first time in my life, I

prepared chapattis and served the people. It gave me

immense pleasure as I got blessings from the old and

could give smiles to the young. I would look forward

to such breaks every year and do some meaningful

work for society. The choice to take the eight day break

gave me a chance to add special memories which has

changed my outlook towards life.

Dilpreet Singh

My parents have been visiting orphanage homes for years but I always avoided it. This year, they asked

me to at least give it a try. With two friends, I went to an orphanage accompanied with clothes, blankets

and a cake. There were some 30 kids. We distributed the things and witnessed joy in their eyes. We

started playing games with them and in the midst of it, a barely 8-10 year old came and asked me: “I

don’t have a family, can I call you my brother?” and I replied: “Of course, you are my brother”. I was

stunned. May be this was the reason my parents had been visiting orphanages. It was a billion dollar

feeling; there really are some things money can’t buy and this was one. Definitely a break well spent.

Gaurav Jhunjhunwala

Every year, until now, I had spent New Year’s Day in Mumbai. It was always the same -

noisy, late night parties and the same campaign against Drink and Drive. But this time

around, it was different. Spending 31 December at Dharmachakra, which is 6kms away

from Nashik was a peaceful, serene and totally exciting feeling. Watching the stars

twinkle away and the smell of cars racing away in the background and no fear or tension

- it felt like Nirvana!

Harsh Gandhi

My year end long break was spending quality time with my wife. I planned for a

surprise romantic candle light dinner at a rooftop restaurant in the suburbs. It was

a weekday and hence there were not many people around. A planned menu (by

me) which had all her favourite food items was being served one after the other

which started with her favourite wine. We had a private butler and a private F&B

attendant and the area was a quiet and private space. While we were enjoying our

delicacies, the lights and candles went off (which was planned earlier by me) and

there was a screen which showed all our photographs right from the day we first

met, to the day I proposed to her, and to the day when our parents agreed which

ended with our wedding pic. While all these pictures were being displayed, it was

complete darkness and soft music played in the background which was without

any doubt her favourite track (also selected earlier by me). Once the pictures got

over, I did something which I had left almost 15 years back and I had promised

her that I would do it once I get married to her and that was to play the Guitar.

So there I was, playing the Guitar to the tune from her other favourite track. The

planning for this event took five out of the eight day break, but it was worthwhile.

Jigar Avlani

While PwC had gifted us an eight day year end break, God had planned an extended break by gifting Pooja and me with a

cute little baby boy on 20 December though the due date was 20 January. We got our Santa (baby) home on 25 December

when the PwC break began and took great care of him and were visited by many friends and relatives during the break. The

break nearly ended with some great news on 31 December, when I got a call from a client that the Dispute Resolution Panel

had passed an order deleting an adjustment of approximately Rs 400crore.

Jignesh Desai

Go along with your mother and her sisters to the land of

opportunities – USA and you’re sure to come back with

a broken back. I should thank the Price Match concept

which filled our bags, united my family and had us at our

best behaviour at the airport on our way back. We smiled

like little innocent kids at the lady in charge at the check-

in counter and prayed together in our hearts hoping

she’d let our bags through with no hassle. Families do

bond when they shop at premium outlets with all the

brands having the biggest sales in town (only if we knew

we’d shop together more often). If we bought an item

at 20% off and a day later the same item was selling at

a discount of 50%, we could go back to the store and

get the excess amount paid back to us. This resulted

in us buying more things from the same store, since

everything was now 50% off. Wow! Guilty as charged!

I added lots of last straws which broke my back and I

thought it was only women who go crazy shopping.

Kaamil Ismail

They say: Thee I, thee me, and thee myself

would one day become an ‘us’ or a ‘we’,

if we all know the secrets of a healthy

living. For me, the thought that I could

take an adventure filled international

trip planned just in a day is all that I

can cherish. But my friend’s leap of

faith is all we needed to have the

best memories and to say that- We

are family. Overall, my experience

in an impromptu holiday was all

about her, him, and them making

me live what we miss in this

realistic world of adrenaline

rush.

Kailash Bafna

I lost my last lazy excuse to skip a college reunion when the break

was announced. It seemed boring to meet a bunch of other middle-

aged men and had to do it the hard way - take the two day train

from Chennai to Benaras, stay in hostels, as we did all those years

ago. Many had not met since graduating 25 years back. We bonded

incredibly well, having looked out for each other, nursed our first

hangover, early heartbreaks, madcap ventures, or tough exams - it

seemed like yesterday. As if to prove our continued youth - we rode

rickshaws, gorged at street corners, partied late into the night. It

was a great shared experience– we’d come from all over the country

and abroad, we were with family and friends, competitors and

collaborators. No other way would have been fun.

Kameswara Rao

Ever since I read the books My Journey and Turning Points on the

life of Abdul Kalam - India’s ‘missile man’ and ‘People’s President’, I

wanted to go on a long drive to Rameswaram. It finally materialised

during the eight day break. Apart from soaking myself in the

mythology of the place, the most memorable moment for me

was visiting Abdul Kalam’s house. That’s a valuable learning for

all- in human life as well as in the corporate world- the value

of vision, leading to planning, followed by action should not be

underestimated. Success smiles on those who dream and act.

Karthik Manivachagam

What more can you want than a new year sunrise at

Sandakphu, a well know place from where you can see the

four peaks which are higher than 8,000 meters in the world

out of 14 peaks. Those are Everest [8848], Lhotse [8501],

Makalu [8415], Kanchanjonga [8598]. The site of those first

sunrays lighting the mountains in different colours is breath

taking and something for one to remember for life. Although

the outside temperature was around 4 degrees Celsius with

the wind blowing at a speed of 65km/ hr, everyone was out of

their rooms to enjoy these pure blissful moments. We were part

of a group of 48 people that started trekking from the Dhotrey

Forest towards Sandakphu on 29 December 2013 and reached

Sandakphu after a three day trek for our New Year celebrations

and we got down via Gurudum and Rimbik by 4 January 2014.

Keyur Shah

“Hang your socks and whisper your wish to Santa; he gives you

what you want”– this was my son’s advice on Christmas Eve.

I smiled. How innocently he had articulated the existence of

the supreme power. Interestingly, this winter break my son

was the tutor and myself the disciple. We made paper boats to

sail, played in water puddles, made Maggie to fill our appetite,

portrayed his favourite Ramayana characters, read comics and

cartoons all along our spiritual trip to Shirdi, Trambakeshwar

and Shani Signapur. Away from the ‘computerised and

consulting’ arena, I relaxed in his youthful company and

stood afresh to embrace a new beginning. Thanks Sonny for

the sunshine!

Manish Ganguly

I thank my four year old daughter for this one! She called her dad

enquiring where we were going for winter vacations. We had no plans as

such. My husband was stumped but couldn’t disappoint her. We ended up

planning a three day trip to Jaipur and the Sariska Tiger Reserve. We were

joined by two of my really old buddies (I have known them for over fifteen

years) and their families who had settled in Jaipur. I hadn’t thought we

could actually (without too much planning and deliberation) spend time

with my family and my old buddies together. Some absolute wow moments

were spotting a Leopard during the jungle safari, seeing my daughter bond

with my friends’ kids and a bonfire chorus singing with old buddies! Truly

memorable!

Manvi Sharma

On Christmas Eve, I was lucky enough to garner a ticket to the mass

delivered inside the Vatican by Pope Francis. The crowd inside the

Basilica was beyond excited for the Papal’s first Christmas Eve service. In

line, I met people from Spain, Africa and Australia. In addition to Rome,

I made it to Paris, as seen in the photograph, in front of the Eifel Tower! I

truly appreciated the extended break.

Mark A Driscoll

My new year vacation started with a series of joys and happiness related activities. I want to share those wonderful experiences which

I encountered during the new year break. Father’s retirement- This was the time when my father was relieved from all his corporate

duties and had mixed emotions of sadness, happiness and contentedness. My father completed his tenure of 32 years and I was a proud

son who got a chance to see him being awarded as ‘The Most Honest Officer’. My feelings were shown by way of tears when I saw him

being appreciated from his seniors, juniors and fellow staff for his hard work, and his dedication. This was the time when I decided I

will live my life to the fullest to live up to my parents expectations. His contribution to the organisation was even acclaimed by the local

daily as well. Visit to Corbett National Park- Even though the national park is just 30km from my hometown, I went there for the first

time. It was a fantastic journey into the woods of Corbett where I spent some breath taking moments with my niece who is just two

years old. It being a family trip, I got a chance to spend time with my married sister, her daughter (my niece) and my parents. Words are

hard to express my feelings and happiness. Visit to Nainital- Enchanting beauty in the hills of Nainital made me feel so serene and fresh

that I couldn’t even think of anything else but could just thank God for giving me a chance to visit this place especially during new year

with my family. Naini Lake is so serene that it makes you forget all your stress, tensions and makes you feel heavenly on earth. The visit

helped me to reunite the years of separation from my family (Since I have been outstation from the age of 18).

Mayank Sharma

I spent the New Year watching the England cricket team humbled by Australia at

the Sydney Cricket Ground, conceding the Ashes for a 5-0 whitewash. Watching an

England capitulation on the field and, worse still, being ridiculed by my Australian

in-laws, was quite humiliating. But I still enjoyed it! I saw the SCG for the first

time, and to cap that I struck up conversations with three former England captains

staying at my hotel. What a privilege. As with life, in sport, competing is of the

utmost importance but experiencing it should always be enjoyed, regardless of the

result.

Mohammad Chowdhury

This break, my wife went to her mother’s place with our

only kid. So I too went to in-law’s house and was chatting in

sofa when to my excitement my very young toddler patted

me and turned my face towards him by touching my cheeks

warmly with his soft hands asking me to listen to him and

called me for the first time Abbu Abbu (father) repeatedly

until I looked at him. It was really the most special moment

of my life. A precious little buddy is he, truly my joy and

pride is he.

Mohammad Namazi

Three separate alarms failed to get me out of bed. Then my

wife finally yelled and demanded that I should get up as

we were planning to leave by 11.30am to catch our 1.30pm

train. I rushed out of bed and I picked up my toothbrush

and applied toothpaste. I discovered that the taste of the

toothpaste was really funny - it tasted like soap. My wife

pointed out that I had just applied shaving cream instead

of toothpaste as both were placed side by side. We all had a

great comedy start to our vacation.

Mohammed Asif Iqbal

This break was very special to me as I took this opportunity to celebrate my bachelors (yes guys, getting married on 18

Jan). We had planned a trip to McLeodGanj, a beautiful hill station covered in the serenity of Tibetan monks and some

great momos! We were in McLeodGanj for four days where we enjoyed some dangerously steep tracking routes, some great

waterfalls, Tibetan massages and lots and lots of peace (of course Old Monk was as important as water there to survive).

Our hotel (or, might I say a humble room without a not so humble view) was around a kilometre away from the main

market and we had a steep climb just to reach the main square. On the last day of our fantabulous trip, we packed our

bags, checked the room for no leftovers, clicked some farewell photos and finally made that arduous climb to the main

market before we realised that Chintan (my best friend) seemed to be a bit light on the luggage. Suddenly we all realised

that he is not carrying his rucksack! Chintan ran back up the slope and found his bag lying outside the room. Seemed like

he never realised the trip was over. Peace! Free Tibet!

Mohit Parekh

Wedded to an Olive Green, my holidays are always full of adventure. The Army has a unique way of welcoming new

members, especially newly wedded wives. During this holiday, a newly wedded officer was getting his wife for the first

time to the station. As per traditions in place, a situation was created with a script written and every person capable was

given a role to convince the newlywed that her husband was already married to a local woman from Kashmir! I enacted

the maid in the house and was supposed to make it clear who my memsahib was - the fictitious Kashmiri lady! The prank

turned nasty when the naive bride would not stop crying and decided to leave for the airport! We called it off in everyone’s

best interest but the drama was an ice-breaker which created lasting relationships.

Mugdha Narayan

We were travelling to Goa via Mumbai, on an overnight Neeta Travels Volvo. At around

11.30pm, while we were sound asleep, the bus driver dozed off for a split second and

rammed the bus onto the road divider. Due to its sheer speed, the bus travelled 15-20

metres on the divider before its front tyres burst and the battery was split in half. When we

got down, we saw the bus tilted at an almost 40 degrees. Thankfully, by the grace of God

alone, no one got hurt. Although not the funniest, it was the scariest moment of our trip.

Muneetpal Singh Jolly

We decided to visit my cousin in Pondicherry since Christmas is a great time for a visit. I drove down to Pondicherry from Chennai-

about 200kms to surprise them. In turn, they had also planned to visit Chennai to meet me since I had come down from Gurgaon. To

keep the element of surprise, we didn’t let the other know of our plans. When they came to my apartment, it was locked. So was his

place locked in Pondicherry. We thought they had gone for shopping so we called him on his cell phone. The funniest part was he asking

where I was. After coming to know that we both stranded outside each other’s houses, we laughed hard enough to cause belly ache.

They told us to stay back in Pondicherry and returned to receive us.

Murali Jayaraman

An inquisitive feeling nurtured since childhood of conquering a stunning distant

Himalayan range, visible from my home was finally laid to rest by taking a one-

day sojourn to the scenic Forest Rest House at village Shojha, Kullu-Himachal

Pradesh, where my grandfather once served as a Forest Range Officer with the

Forest Department. The tarriance simply reminded me of the following lines by

Robert Frost*- “The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.”

*Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening- Robert Frost

Nachiketa Sharma

Day one came and went by quickly, with loads of planning and deliberation;

Two saw our travelling plan dropout during round of elimination;

Three labelled me ‘lazy and indecisive’, ‘huh’ my wife’s accusation;

Four saw me buy her some nice gifts for ceasefire and pacification;

Five was dedicated to reading, relaxing and rejuvenation;

Six saw me fulfil the rent, instalments and other monthly obligations;

Seven was New Year’s Eve asking for loud celebration;

Eight was time for yet another annual resolution;

Time to reflect on the year gone by and some introspection;

Thank you PwC for this wonderful eight day vacation!

Naman Kaushik

Watching a Shamu show in San Diego Water Park was a wonderful

experience. But what was most heartening was what the lead show

trainer did at the very start. She requested those from the Armed Forces

- present or past - to stand up, so that all present could clap in their

honour, collectively recognise and applaud what they do for the country.

That was an awestruck moment for me, having grown up in an Army

family. To see a good 20+ people stand and the ovation of the 1000’s

there was something I will always remember. Through my holiday, I

experienced a number of instances of priority and public recognition for

those from the Forces.

Nandini Chatterjee

Me, my wife and son made a plan to go to Nepal from 25 December 2013 to

1 January 2014 and decided to travel by train till Gorakhpur and then book a

cab. My wife’s birthday falls on Christmas Day. We started from Gurgaon at

5.15pm to catch the train on 24 December - Christmas Eve, but due to the rush

we missed the train and came back home. On 25 December to give a surprise

gift to my wife, I decided on Plan B. I never drive outstation, but I drove till

Chandigarh and then up to the hills until Kasauli, and we had a great time hill

driving. We stayed there for three nights. My wife said it was the best ever gift.

Neel Kanth

While almost everyone in the PwC family got their break from 25 December to 1

January, I could avail it only on 1 January. My break started with a party at a friend’s

house by celebrating the new year. It didn’t just end there as after the celebration we

played gully Cricket at 1.30am for 2.5 hours in the empty streets of Ludhiana followed

by playing video games up till 7am in the morning. At the end of the break i.e. 6

January came the pending birthday parties at Spice Cube and so my break ended with

a blast.

Nikhil Wahi

Making use of the year-end break, my family went on the Ashtavinayaka Yatra, a dream

cherished for several years! We decided to hire a car to travel in comfort, but had no idea of

the adventures awaiting us. While entering Pune, the dense fog made visibility practically

zero! Thereafter, we drove through crumbling village roads, taking shortcuts to reduce travel

time. Since we were following a religious sequence, we were driving even in the night, where

our car was the only one on the road. We completed the entire journey without any major

incident, by the grace of the Vighnaharta!

Nitu Singh

I just came back from a holiday from Sri Lanka, and wanted to share my

experience on the power of language. Whenever we spoke in English,

they treated us as foreigners with whom they could extract some money.

But when I spoke in Sinhala (whatever little I learnt on the flight), they

smiled and warmed up to us. It’s amazing how you can connect with

people by speaking their language. It doesn’t matter if you get it wrong,

but displaying a willingness to try, removes cultural boundaries and gets

you connected. “When in Rome, speak what the Romans speak!”

Pareet Sanghavi

Only a few hours from a new year’s start yet grasping relics of a year nearly gone by,

Only 1,276m above sea-level yet so close to the heavenly clouds,

Only 300km from Bangalore yet a world away from a concrete civilisation,

Only mercury levels dipping away yet a swelling calm rises inside,

Only a temple perched among a forest of hills yet Kaveri glides forth from her

birthplace touching millions,

Only a single bone chilling dip in her waters yet the burdens flee as I rejuvenate for an

adventurous year ahead.

6am| 31 December 2013| Talakaveri

Piyush Sahu

My most special memory of the year end break was the Pink Jeep Tour in Sedona,

Arizona, USA. The Pink Jeep ‘Broken Arrow’ Tour in Sedona made our trip fabulous

and thrilling. It is the best off-road experience me and my wife have ever had in our

life. It’s a fun-filled four-wheeling jeep adventure over the red rocks of Sedona. There,

highly experienced drivers give you a ride over the rough terrain and through the

unique red rock formations in Sedona. This trip provided us breath-taking views,

climbs and awesome scenery. Overall, it was an amazing experience which was full of

fun and excitement.

Pradeep Singhvi

Our time was well spent at Shri Swami Samarth Math in Devrukh (near Sangameshwar, Konkan). What an experience it was, to

serve ‘Swami Samarth Maharaj’ for five whole days in the ashram. For most of the five days, we (Pallavi - my wife and two children,

Keya and Tanay and myself), were the sole occupants at the ashram. Dakshaben the chief administrator of the math and Kishorebhai

(who had come to read the Guru Charitra) were the other occupants. We felt so enriched and full of energy. We got an opportunity

to perform all the duties right from cleaning the premises to cooking the daily Prasad. The best part was that both our children

too helped in various activities. Tanay was always looking forward to participate in the ‘Shiv poojan and offer Abhishek. Keya too

participated in her own way and helped in washing small utensils and other such activities. Their participation took away whatever

apprehensions we had about how the children would adjust and if they would want to stay for five days. In fact, their behaviour also

changed in those days- Keya was more silent and dormant while Tanay took over the role of the mischievous child. Even we were

surprised by this role reversal. Kishorebhai jokingly chided us, saying: “And you said Keya was more mischievous!” The days began

with the Kakad aarti at 6am and ended with the goodnight aarti at 10pm. The chant of Digambara took you to a different level every

time it was recited during the aarti. The early morning meditation sessions in the ‘silent room’ were most relaxing. On the last day,

I sat down under the Audumber tree for mediation. It was truly a different feeling. I felt so peaceful- the feeling cannot be explained

in words- it must be experienced. Just staying in the ashram takes care of all your worries where the mind only knows peace and

calmness. It was a difficult feeling when the five days ended and we had to leave the ashram. The seva humbled us and accelerated

our sadhana. This was the best ending note for the year end. Jai Gurudev.

Rahul Virkar

My husband and I took a road trip across Rajasthan for 14 days, in the biting cold.

Seemingly ordinary experiences turned into memorable moments: Watched a

bunch of army men do the Gangnam style on New Year’s eve! Went to the Bullet

Baba temple – where a Royal Enfield bike is the deity and offerings of alcohol are

made! Watched a group of foreigners prepare for a rickshaw race from Jaisalmer

to Kochi! Realised that Google Maps is not always right - in Jodhpur, it led us to a

dead-end with no room for a U-turn!

Rashmi Soans

The best time of the year... Five “yaars”… SiddhiVinayak “me Ganpati Bappa Morya”…

Local train “ka Dhakka”… Juhu Chowpatty “ka vada-pav and gola”… AER lounge “ka

Lazeez khaana”… “Raat be-raat” drives… Imagica’s high-octane rides… Late night

“Chaiii” at Marine drive... Worli Sea Link ‘se’ Mumbai ‘ki’ skyline “shaandaar”... Phoenix

Mall “me brands mazzedaar”… Adventure sports at Della Adventure Park... Nagaon

beach “ke namkeen” cold waters, barbeque “ke kebab”, fireworks at New Year break,

and finally, sleeping bag “me sabki haalat kharab”… Truly… MUMBAI - The city that

never sleeps... and I add… The city that EVER ROCKSSS!

Raunak Chamaria

Have you ever wondered what magic or mystery a mountain top holds?

I crawled out of bed and saw the phone, showing 5.45am and a freezing

-7°C. I gazed out and witnessed the best sunrise of my life- golden rays,

embracing the snow-clad Nandadevi Parbath. After a freezing bath, I

embarked on a trek with my friends and our Sherpa, through the golden

oak forest, rocky terrains and lands laced with patches of ice. Like a slap

in the face, the Himalayas proved I will need all my strength, willpower,

endurance, perseverance. As the first to reach the summit, crossing all

hurdles– I understood ‘happiness isn’t the destination, it’s the journey’. I

felt on top of the WORLD!

Ravishankar M

A chill ran through my spine on that cold night. I was awe struck. There it was in front of

me - the Golden Temple at night. The temple glowed and we bowed down to its beauty

and prayed to be blessed with all our hearts. This was a moment that I really cherished

during my year end trip. Words cannot express the pure feeling which dwelled in our

hearts at that moment.

Risha Parekh

Arun, Shrishti and I were at a new year’s eve beach party. The organisers had oversold passes. It was

complete chaos. Arun offered to fetch drinks. After thirty minutes of struggle, he emerged victorious,

in his tattered suit, holding his trophy- a glass in each hand. Someone pushed him and the glass

crashed. In three years, I have seen Arun cry twice, at losing his promotion and at losing the glass! The

organisers had fled the venue. There was no food. The mob entered the kitchen. A party-cipant ran

away with a cauliflower, shouting: Yay, I found a Gobhi! We fried some papad. People queued up for it.

Arun served! We laughed!

Ritu Bagla

Having taken my first break of the year, the only intention was to get back and spend time with family.

Amidst the lazing around and eating good home food, there’s one thing I will cherish the most from

this time and that is the ability to do ‘small talk’. Speaking at length on topics such as the paint colour

for the house with my dad, to mom about her new saree and discussing the various pros and cons of

the new iPad with my younger brother etc. Having not been able to do so over the past year, the luxury

of doing the same without any time constraints is the most wonderful memory I have of the break.

Rosh John

Me and my wife were holidaying in the picturesque town of Chail in Himachal Pradesh. Put up in a

hotel that was once the palace of the Maharaja of Patiala, we were strolling in the gardens on a sunny

winter noon when an interesting sight beheld us– the city of Shimla was so clearly visible as if Chail

was built as an observatory solely for it. It wasn’t long before we were enlightened that Chail was built

as a retreat by the Maharaja, who was expelled from Shimla by the British commander-in-chief owing

to his fondness for his beautiful daughter!

Rishi Raj Singh

All of you have done various things over the year end break… but do

you know what I did? I got married during the year end break and I

thank PwC for giving me this wonderful opportunity to be with my

family on this great occasion. We had a wonderful time, including the

year end bash together. We roamed around and visited all our family

members during this break. So, a big thank you to PwC for making my

marriage a memorable event.

Sajaj Raj

At a New Year’s party, we entered the wrong hall where some TV

artists were having a celebration bash for a new TV serial launch. So

we went to speak to the serial producer and apologised for gate-

crashing the event. In return he allowed us to pose for photos with the

lead stars!

Sarika Gupta

At 15,000ft in the Himalayas, it is exhilarating to watch snow everywhere-

with a caveat. To our left was seamless white and on the right, there was

white as well but with a thin black line visible. It was the infamous LoC that

separated ‘them’ from us. Yet, we pondered – Whose snow is it anyway? As if

on cue, there was heavy snowfall leaving us blind for a few minutes. As the

mist cleared up, we were stunned to see the black line ‘erased’. Nature, had

in a single stroke wiped away the 66 year old line of separation, as if to say

– my bounty is for all! With yet another masterstroke, nature proved no one

paints better in white!

Saroni Ray

Recently I had a lovely week away in God’s own country - Kerala. On the first

day, I was asking for directions. I saw a guy sitting on the bench at a nearby

bus stop and said: Can you tell me which is the correct way to Deshadan

Mountain Resort? He jumps up all excited: “Yes, yes, yes! You walk up that

hill and you’ll find a bubble as tall as me, you won’t need car/ money, it’s just

there!” By this time, I realised that our sense of directions were divergent.

Nevertheless, I thanked him profusely. He was pretty agitated about relaying

his instructions. So, I sort of let him off the hook and just figured it out on my

own. The very next day, I ran across the same guy aka ‘The Helper’. I stopped

him and reminded him of our conversation, saying: “Those directions you

gave me were correct. Thank you so much!” His face lit up - That is my goal

in life.

Saurabh Dhadphale

I spent my holidays in a place where I found myself yet again... A place where I

want to see the sun set every day, where every person is carefree, living each day as

it comes, where beer is cheaper than water! A place where I can enjoy the little

things in life, walking on the cold sand under the starry skies, chilling by the beach,

dancing with the beats, racing with the winds on the bike! A place where you forget

materialism, a place where I learnt to live life again, where I was me again. Yes - it’s

GOA!

Shagun Banthia

I am getting married in a week. Only a year in Mumbai, and my wedding sans my childhood

friends was daunting me. As we all left work on 24 December, everyone gushed ‘Thank God’

and ‘Finally!’ on the 2nd floor of the Bandra office, everyone - except me! I wanted my old

friends around me as I prepared for PROJECT WEDDING. To my utter surprise, the eight day

break saw my team offering to help in my wedding preparations and also practiced dance

moves for my Sangeet! As I saw them doing the Garba and Bhangra (all wrong!), I only

smiled and thought: Finally, found my family in eight days!

Shuchi Swami

We had just checked in to our resort in Punakha, Bhutan. It was located at

the top of a hill and provided a breath-taking view of the Punakha valley

and the meandering river Mo-chu. While I was standing at the view point,

next to a Buddhist prayer wheel when suddenly I heard my mobile

beeping. It could not be text messages as I did not have international

roaming, so it must be EMAILS. A wooden board next to the prayer wheel

said ‘Wi-fi hotspot’ and I went - Wow! I checked my mobile and there was a

strong Wi-fi signal and the screen read 33 new office emails. In this age,

Wi-fi signals will not leave you alone, even in this wilderness. The news of

Wi-fi availability spread quickly with the young ones and teens flocked the

area with their smartphones. Alas, very few could appreciate what nature

had to offer (even when they were on holiday) and Facebook and Twitter

took precedence over everything else. At check-out, this is what I wrote in

the feedback form –This place is too beautiful for Wi-fi.

Siddhartha Sen

The planning started the day it was announced. Let’s have a holiday after

an almost two year’s drought! Hotels were booked, train berths were

reserved and the marketing was done. Then came 24 December, when the

first of those pimples were seen on my cheek. The message was loud and

clear to my wife – CHICKEN POX shall ruin our holiday. Then the blisters

surfaced all over me. Our hope was gone. Still that break, became one of

the best ever of my life. Love was poured on my etching skin, all over me.

From my wife and my family. Togetherness was bliss.

Soumyo Goswami

I was tense; I had only six hours at my disposal to send my only deliverable left, execute an agreement with the subcontractor,

handover documents to colleagues staying back and make sure all the travel documents and currencies were properly arranged with

a backup handed over to the family. It was my last day in office before the most awaited backpack tour to Europe was going to

commence that was entirely arranged by my friend and me; a dream to be lived and accomplished. After closing all office work, I

rushed to the airport as I was running out of time. I took a flight to Mumbai, where we boarded a KLM to reach Amsterdam. From

the long sojourn of the Europe tour, I am sharing my experience of the time spent in the famed and widely photographed city of

Bruges. The words of Ray from the movie In Bruges - “I grew up in Dublin. I love Dublin. If I grew up on a farm, and was retarded,

Bruges might impress me, but I didn’t so it doesn’t” were ringing in my ears and created suspicion from the time I had opted to visit

Bruges instead of Brussels. For first time Indian travellers to Europe who didn’t want to miss out on any action, opting for Bruges

instead of Brussels, which is touristy and well known among Indians, was always a gamble. But gamble pays off in fairy tales and our

gamble paid off in the fairy tale medieval town called Bruges. When we meandered down its alleys to reach our B&B (Bed and

Breakfast) hostel, what struck us were the spectacularly beautiful cobbled roads which were deserted. There are only 20,000 people

who live within the city walls. Last year there were 3 million visitors, which means on real busy days there are more tourists here

than locals. As we arrived at our B&B we were received by this beautiful and outspoken Belgian caretaker who made us feel at home

and educated us on the places to visit, introduced local culture and fun in Bruges. Two hours of rest were enough of a restraint, and

we started our sightseeing of this much anticipated city. We started from the eastern most part of the city centre and climbed up the

small hill to the Sint-Janhuis mill to view the amazing panorama consisting of lush green gardens, red and white coloured old

windmills, clean blue waters of the river and locals enjoying beers in cafes during their afternoon siesta. The panorama is stunningly

romantic and we also enjoyed an afternoon siesta in the lush green parks after appreciating the very Belgian food and beer at Café

De Windmolen. After strolling for 20 minutes and wondering at the beauty and tranquillity of the city, we were standing right in

front of Belfry in total amazement of the beauty of the lofty Belfry tower in the markt. The markt is a glorious and touristy place in

Bruges and consists of various 15th century buildings with Gothic architecture. We lapped up the medieval architecture and climbed

the 365 stairs of the iconic clock tower. Just across the markt in Kuiper Straat on weekend nights one can find Indian fries. Don’t be

fooled by the name, French fries come from Belgium; at Frituur Bombay they are made by Indians. Even though the place might look

a bit funky, the fries rank the best in Bruges. Strolling through narrow and cobbled lanes of Bruges is real fun. Lots of cafes, bars and

chocolate shops where you can stop over, take rest and drink local beer. Locals say that you shouldn’t believe the Swiss and Belgium

when they say they have the best chocolates because Bruges is the chocolate capital. One can eat top quality small chocolates (called

pralines) here. The night life is equally exciting with people from so many nationalities singing and dancing over a glass of Belgian

Beer. We shared drinks with a lovely couple, a Bulgarian who was working in Argentina in a mining company and was formerly

posted in Bangalore in India. His girlfriend is a Canadian who was formerly a Russian citizen. They shared their experiences and

views of working in so many countries and cultures. In the chilling cold of the night, I was proposed to play chess by a beautiful

British girl who used to work as an investment banker in London. She wanted to test the notion that Indians are great chess players;

the notion vociferously debated by the Bulgarian mining manager. Thankfully I won the game and was rewarded with a chilled glass

of Belgian Beer. Bruges’ population is really relaxed and the best place to relax and enjoy life horizontally is in their pretty parks.

This attitude also rubs with tourists and some tourists fall in love with the city and stay here for months. I met Britons, Brazilians,

Venezuelans and a host of travellers who’ve made this city their hometown or a home away from home and are enjoying the slow

and rustic life offered by it. There are numerous short stories and experiences to share. It was a great learning experience where I

learned different cultures, their sensitivities, their hardships and views on global matters affecting each one of us, be it climate

change, the Iraq war, gay rights, emergence of India etc. After spending two days, we reluctantly left the city for my next destination,

Berlin but we still long and feel nostalgic for the beautiful market squares, the Belfry tower, historic churches, and beautiful red brick

buildings. In short we spent two days in a perfect 15th-century film set.

Sourabh Agarwala

My father had a gall bladder operation and I had gone to my hometown- Kolkata to take care of him. I was quite excited to return to

Gurgaon, since I was missing my 20 month old son. Upon my return when I went to pick him up from his daycare, I had expected

him to run into my arms, which he usually does every evening. This time, his first reaction on seeing me at the door was of surprise

and after taking a hard look at me he expressed Bye-bye see you and firmly walked backed inside.

Sourish Mohan Mitra

I planned to watch movies back-to-back on the Showcase channel for the entire weekend at my aunt’s with my sister. But her

four year old - Saanvi, somehow figured out the parent-lock option and locked the Showcase channel and just wouldn’t share the

passcode. We ended up watching Ninja Hattori all weekend. So my sister decided to dye her hair. Saanvi: “Ma, why do you have

white hair?” My sister (irritated): “Each hair for every trouble you give me!” “Ha! No wonder ALL of Amma’s hair is white!” Saanvi

smirked. Touche! She saved me from wasting away in front of the TV. I spent quality family time - cooking, reading and taking long

nature walks.

Srishti Mittal

As the father of a three month old adorable daughter, I can’t thank God enough for this eight day

break. After the time I got to spend with her, my little angel now recognizes my voice, my face and

responds to my coos and gurgles. I experienced priceless moments of her squealing with joy and

laughing out loud. And the most treasured sight - she opened her tiny, beautifully crafted hands

and closed her fists around her favourite rattle toy. Her sleeping in my arms and me silently planting

kisses onto her cheeks... Oh! Ineffable joy!

Suhel Bhatia

My favourite moment of the year end break was finishing up a lazy swim at the pool next to the Shivaji Park Office, Mumbai, on 31

December morning (after quite a heavy night out, I might add), changing into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and driving right by office.

I was absolutely giddy with mirth at the notion that thanks to the sheer brilliance of the powers that be at PwC India, the only work I

would need to do all day would be to sleep, shop and prepare for the New Year’s Eve party I was hosting that night!

Taroon Bali

Jaisalmer provided a much needed break in my work routine, which is stretched to limits on good

days and drowns me under deadlines on bad ones! I will always remember that introspective

evening of many realisations when dusk fell upon the golden expanse around me and Michael

Jackson (my camel) – I realised that short getaways from ‘life as we know it’ can be therapeutic,

that solo travel really makes you feel free, and that societal changes are really afoot when beer-

sellers whom you ignore chide you saying, “Even girls drink today, why don’t you?!” Truly a

memorable trip.

Tarun Khanna

There it was, for us to take,

PwC’s fantastic year-end break!

With so much time for me,

To do, experience, and see!

Outings or trips, or long drive,

Or often to let laziness thrive.

Tasting food or appreciating art,

Meeting friends or jogging for heart,

Finishing the pending book,

Being the occasional cook,

Or when the carpenter heeded,

For quick fixes the house needed.

While doing almost everything,

I could also enjoy doing nothing.

Such a chance to fully recharge,

Unwind, relax, reflect, and think,

As the new year approached,

Refilled in me enthusiasm to brink!

Tejas Pol

We all know that everybody likes to party on 31st night and so it was for

me. Excited and anxious, I began the day with my normal routine and as

evening was approaching, I kept my party wear, my jewellery, etc. ready.

Evening approached and my heart began to beat faster at the thought

of the enjoyment awaiting me. Suddenly, I heard a loud continuous

scream. I ran to the balcony and peeped out. I was shocked to see people

trying to dig out something from under a car. So I ran down and took a

look. It was a tiny puppy, lost and scared, crying its heart out, as people

were trying to pull it out from under a car. Immediately, I bent down

and without hurting the puppy, I managed to save its life. I brought her

home and gave her some warm milk. I tried to go close to her but she

was afraid and kept hiding in corners. Simultaneously, my eyes were on

the clock but I was not excited anymore. I didn’t want to leave her alone,

so I cancelled my plan and stayed at home. I made a nice warm bed for

her and as she got cosy, I covered her. But the night didn’t end there.

I knew I couldn’t keep her as I am already taking care of several stray

dogs, so I began frantically making calls to get the little one a loving

home and as the saying goes - God helps those who help themselves, a

friend agreed to keep her. I was relieved and spent the night watching

TV instead. The next day, the first thing I did was to take the little one to

her new home. I know this was not the 31st I had planned but I felt great

and proud that I was able to sacrifice my party for something that I love

most in my life, something that I serve daily, something that I respect

and those are my doggies!

Treasure Rosina

The year end break gave me a chance to reconnect with some of my old school friends - thanks

to Facebook. I left my school in Panjim (Goa) in 1996 and since then I was not in touch with

any of my classmates. We all planned to meet in Panjim which included visiting the school and

nearby area. We all were going to meet after nearly 16 years. Finally, the day arrived when all

of us met. We revelled in our sweet childhood memories, the old school days, the excitement

during the results, the competitions we participated in, our school crushes and pranks. For the

next three to four hours we travelled back in time. It felt great. I was happy to see most of my

friends doing well in their chosen profession. Finally, we all had a sumptuous dinner and bid

adieu. Nobody wanted the meeting to end. We all parted promising each other to meet once in

two or three years. This was the most exciting reunion experience I ever had.

Tushar Kothavale

The very mention of an eight day break from work made my mom happy. I decided to surprise

her with her favourite sweet - Rava Kesari, made at home and more importantly made by me.

I sneaked into the kitchen with a clear agenda, did everything possible for a perfect result.

Everything was properly setup for a surprise time. Mom, obviously surprised, tasted it and

said: “It’s awesome! I would have been really happy had you made this out of Bombay Rava

instead of Idli Rava.” Result: I was surprised and then realised scepticism is required not just at

work.

Venkatesh K

I had booked a resort at Jim-Corbett for the year-end break and

had gone with my wife and two and a half year old daughter. We

planned to spend these four days in a completely relaxed setting.

When we went for the Jungle Safari, we told our daughter that we

were going to see a Tiger. We had a driver and a guide with us. To

our dismay, none of us could spot a Tiger and my small daughter

who has never seen a tiger pointed towards the bushes and said:

“Papa, Tiger!” We unwillingly turned our head towards that bush

and too our amazement the guide exclaimed in a very low tone,

“Sir, Tiger”. It was actually a Tigress. My daughter made our trip to

the jungle a successful one and we all laughed a lot when we came

back home that somehow our small kid unknowingly spotted a

Tiger.

Vishal Goyal

My break experience was great. Usually in December I go

with friends to Goa for some Electro music fest. This time

we wanted to try a peaceful vacation just to relax. I went

with a few friends to Panchgani, where a friend of mine has

a holiday home. The weather was brilliant. We were in-

between the valleys. It was heaven for any nature lover. But

even the peace of the valleys couldn’t subdue our love for

music. We started missing the times we went to the fests. So

we decided to have a little fest of our own in the valley. We

had some speakers and music on our iPads. An enthusiastic

friend played DJ, and we had an awesome Electro music

night in the midst of the valleys. The folks from the

neighbouring bungalow too joined us. We had a great time

exploring the place during the day and partying in the night.

It was a very energetic start to the new year.

Vishal S

Our daughter - Karissa was born on 11 November 2013 and after the first four days, I didn’t have much of a

chance to spend time with her. The eight day year end break allowed me to spend some much needed time

with Karissa and Sonam (my wife). Sonam was extremely glad that PwC had offered this break as it also let

her catch up on some much needed sleep. Both Sonam and I really cherish the time we were able to spend

with Karissa. The break could not have come at a better time. Thank you PwC!

Vivek Jhunjhunwala

Aditi MukherjeeAditya LonganiAnirban BoseAnita RodriguesAnkit KotriwalaAnkita JainAntara RayAnurag MehrotraAnushka ShettyArnav KapadiaArun KumarAshok RoyAtul LuthraBatul SavliwalaBhabani Shankar karBhavesh DJBritya SenChetan ShringarpureChinmay SinghChirag MadanDevesh SahaiDhaval TrivediDilpreet SinghGaurav JhunjhunwalaHarsh GandhiJigar AvlaniJignesh Desai

Kaamil IsmailKailash BafnaKameswara RaoKarthik ManivachagamKeyur ShahManish GangulyManvi SharmaMark A DriscollMayank SharmaMohammad ChowdhuryMohammad NamaziMohammed Asif IqbalMohit ParekhMugdha NarayanMuneetpal Singh JollyMurali JayaramanNachiketa SharmaNaman KaushikNandini ChatterjeeNeel KanthNikhil WahiNitu SinghPareet SanghaviPiyush SahuPradeep SinghviRahul VirkarRashmi Soans

Raunak ChamariaRavishankar MRisha ParekhRitu BaglaRosh JohnRishi Raj SinghSajaj RajSarika GuptaSaroni RaySaurabh DhadphaleShagun BanthiaShuchi SwamiSiddhartha SenSoumyo GoswamiSourabh AgarwalaSourish Mohan MitraSrishti MittalSuhel BhatiaTaroon BaliTarun KhannaTejas PolTreasure RosinaTushar KothavaleVenkatesh KVishal GoyalVishal S Vivek Jhunjhunwala

We’d like to acknowledge the following people for their contributions in the Year end break anecdote contest 2013.

Edited and reviewed by Chelsea Saldanha and Mousumi Ghosh (Brand and Communications)

Designed by Nidhi Jain (Brand and Communications)

*A PwC India employee engagement initiative

© 2013 PricewaterhouseCoopers Private Limited. All rights reserved. In this document, “PwC” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers Private Limited (a limited liability company in India having Corporate Identity Number or CIN : U74140WB1983PTC036093), which is a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited (PwCIL), each member firm of which is a separate legal entity.

Designed by Brand and Communication, India

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